Infusion package and the manufacture thereof



L. BARNETT NOV. 14, 19,44.

INFUSION PACKAGE AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed Feb. 7, 1942 s Sh eets-Sheet 1 p BARNETT Nov. 14, 1944;

INFUSION PACKAGE AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed Feb. 7, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 J r o 7 n m r INVENTOR.

Nov. 14, 1944. L. BARNETT INFUSION PACKAGE AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF Filed Feb.

'7, 1942 s Shets-Sheet 5 Patented Nov. 14, 1944 INFUSION PACKAGE AND THE FACTUBE THEREOF MANU- Louis Barnett, BrookiyinN. Y., assignor to Millie c., a corporation of New Patent Holding 00., York Application February 7, 1942, Serial No. 429,894

1 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of filled containers or bags and more particularly is directed'to the manufacture of infusion packages, such as tea-balls and the like.

Among the objects of the invention is to generally improve the construction of filled containers or bags in the form of infusion packages as inexpensive articles of manufacture, which shall comprise few and simple parts requiring a minimum of material, which shall be easy and cheap to manufacture in quantity production on autoarrangements of parts and steps in the process of manufacture which will be exemplified in the construction and method hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention.

Figs. 1 and 2 are front and side elevati'onal views respectively, showing a manufacture of infusion package embodying the invention;

Figs. 3, 4, and are cross-sectional views taken on lines 3-3, 44, and 5-5 respectfully, showing seam joint sealing, seam joint folding and segment-handle slitting operations, respectively;

Figs. 6 and '7 are front and side elevational views respectively, of an infusion structed to embody the invention;

Fig. -8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l8=inFig. 6. 3

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 6 showing the-segment-handle extended for suspending the infusion package in brewing;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1' showing the manufacture of a modified form of an infusion package, with anintegral tag terminating .the handle embodying the invention;

, Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken on lines Fig. 1251s an enlarged fragmentary cross-sec tional view showing the partial severance of portion of the infusion package for disconnecting the tag end of the handle from the package bag;

package 0011-:

Figs. 13, and 14 are views showing infusion packages with integrally formed handles terminated by tags embodying the invention manu-' factured as shown in Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive, in Fig. 14 the infusion package being shown with the bag thereof in a suspended position; and

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary view of a portion of an improved infusion package with a handle terminated by an integrally formed diamond-shaped tag.

Referring in detail to the drawings denotes an infusion package shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive, manufactured to embody the invention.

In practicing the invention for'making an infusion package such as a tea-ball 20 on highspeed automatic machines in quantity production, suitable sheet material 2| may be used for makingthe tea-ball bag which may be supplied from a suitable source such as roll in the form of a web'of the required width in the well. understood manner, a sufiicient length of said web 2| being'formed, heat-sealed and cut to form a tea-ball in the manner hereinafter described. 0r, precut strips of sheet material 2| of proper shapeand length may be provided from a suitable supply source if desired. Sheet material 2| is of foraminous construction, as-for example, filter paper, perforated parchment paper or Cellophane, cotton gauze and the like. That used in practice of the invention here described and shown in the drawings'may comprise a filter paper base layer 2; coated on one side with a thermosetting partially fused plastic lamina 2") of the character described in my said application Serial No. 380,628 or of any other suitable filter sheet base layer having a thermosetting plastic means for forming a heat-sealed lapped angle" joint seam 24, and bottom and top closure joint seams and 26 all in the manner hereinafter more fully described.

' loss of tensil strength. The filtering sheet mafor brewing and straining the fillirigorjtea contents T, said layer 2la, coating 2lb, joint seam a, and closure scams 2! and 28 being of such composition that it is non-toxic, insoluble in hot boiling water, and impart no odor or taste even to the slightest degree to the brew.

It has been found in practice that a 6 /2 pound fibrous pulp stock sheet of approximately .001 of an inch thick of high wettensil strength forms a practical filter paper layer 2ia for the purposes described herein. On such layer '2Ia a flnely powdered copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate maybe uniformly sprinkled or sprayed, partially fused by heat to 60 C.,,

an pressure rolled thereon for providing a pervious, .dry and extremely thin coating or lamina 2Ib which does not materially affect the filtering capacity of the layer 24a. Approximately three ounces of such vinyl powder for each pound of said layer 2 la will form coating or lamina 2 lb of normally less than .0005 of an inch thick.

Sheet material 2I when taken from a roller or precut to the required size has the coating 2Ib of the folded sheet material 2| positioned to form the interior surfaces of the tea-ball bags sothat the "lapped angle joint seam 24, and closure seams 25 and 26 are sealed on placing said coating 2.) thereof in face to face relation and applying pressure and'heat to a fusion temperature by suitable clamping or pressure means. With the coating or lamina 2Ib formed of the partially fused? vinyl powder permanent sealing fusion will take place when pressure and heat of approximately 130 C. is applied.

In the manufacturing of infusion packages 20 as tea-balls and the like, it has heretofore been found desirable to include as part of the package some form of handle to manipulate the tea-balls during the brewing operation, particularly when carried out in a cup, and also to provide a tag which bears a legend such as the name or trade-mark of'the manufacturer, grade of tea,

etc. Such handles are most frequently provided by a string or stitched thread attached to the tea-ball bag, the free end of the string handle being terminated by an attached tag. The provision of such string handles and tags in the construction of the conventional tea-balls not only increases the cost of manufacturing by emulsing various additional materials, but also requires in the production process intricate additional steps and when made on high speed aur tomatic machines necessitates the use of complicated expensive apparatus operating at a relatively slower production speed.

In carrying out the improved "method for manufacturing infusion packages 20, a preshaped strip or the leadingend of a web of sheet material 2| may be applied to or wrapped around a former, such as a hollow mandrel or flattened pipe F and joined by abutting aligned edge portions that extend lengthwise centrally along one of the flattened sides of said former F to provide a tubular structure 23, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive. Said abutting edge joint portions are permanently secured together'by a single angle joint seam, or as for example, by

forming flange 24a using a suitable pressure thermosetting heat-sealed means P.

The heat, sealing pressure means P may be constructed and arranged as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and is seen to comprise a pair of coacting rollers R and RI which form tubular structure 23 about, former F with the flange Ma as an upstanding angle" joint seam. Said rollers R and RI may be undercut as at U and UI respectively, so as to leave only pressure surfaces S and SI, respectively, effective for pressure heat understood manner through conductor wires W.

The web 2i after passing through rollers R and RI to form tubular structure 23 with flange 24a passes under a roller R2 which folds down the flange 24a as at 241: shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4. The tubular structure 23 thus formed may next pass to a mechanism M which cross folds the flange 24a at 240 (see Fig. 8) and. simutaneously through-slits the same at 24d along spaced intervals. For this purpose mechanism M has a grooved fold wheel N cooperating with a circular cutter C, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. The cutter C is made to terminate in ends CI so as to leave uncut flange portions 24c between the spaced through-slits 24d. Said mechanism M thus forms a lapped angle seam 24 from the angle jointseam or flanges 24a, the point along the through-cuts 24d extending along the flat side of the tubular structure 23 being left intact.

As the tubular structure 23 with said throughsplit seam joint described above continues in its travel it passes between a second set of co-acting rollers'D and DI spaced from mechanism M which permanently heat seals the top joint seam closure 26 of a leading finished infusion package 20 and the bottom joint seam closure of an other infusion package in the making, as is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Said rollers D and DI have raised complementary corrugated pressure surfaced portions S2 'and S3, respectively for forming said seam joint top and bottom closures 25 and 26. The roller D may carry a straight blade or knife K mounted to extend across the pressure surface portions S2 and S3 to cut through and separate the sealed top closure 25 of the leading package 20 from the bottom closure of the next succeeding package. Suitable heating means such as electric heater HI provided with conductor wires WI may be incorporated in roller D as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for heating the pressure surface portions S2 and s3.

Between .the mechanism M and the set of rollers D and DI, above the latter as seen from Fig.

1, the flattened pipe F terminates in "a tapered spout E through which measured quantities of essence containing products, such as tea T, is delivered from suitable apparatus of any conventional construction (not shown), in the well understood manner. Each bag of the infusion package being manufactured by means of said spout E is charged with tea T, preferably by only partially filling the bag after permanently sealing the joint seamclosures 25 and 26 of leading infusion package 20. Each bag of the infusion package being manufactured by means of said spout E is charged with tea T, preferably by only partially filling the bag after permanently sealing the joint seam closures 25 and 26 of leading infusion package 20, and then said bag passes through rollers D and DI.

The through-slit 2412 has one end terminating at uncut portion 240 short of the edge of the top closure 25 of each package 20 so as to leave a segment-handle 24f integrally connected with the flange 24, while the other end of said throughslit 24d extends to the marginal edge of the bottom closure 26 thus permitting the handle 24) to be moved to the position as shown in Fig. 9 when'suspending the package 20 for brewing.

See also the full line and dotted line positions in In the manufacture of infusion packages 20, indicia 29 may be provided, as for example imprinted on the top closure seam joint 25. It may also be desirable to provide an integral tag terminating the segment-handle for such indicia 29. To this end a modified manufacture embodying the invention can be utilized in producing infusion packages I20. Said infusion package I20 has a top joint seam closure I25, a bottom joint seam closure I26, and a segment handle I24f terminated by a tag portion I24g as shown in Figs. to 14 inclusive.

In this modification, the tubular structure 23 is formed on flattened pipe F using a heat sealing pressure means, a fold roller, like P and R2, respectively; as described above for manufacturing infusion package shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and

. mechanism similar to mechanism M except the end C2 onthe circular cutter C are spaced apart a greater distance than in cutter ends CI.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent:

1. A method of manufacturing infusion packages of the characten described consisting of aligning, abutting and securing opposite free edges of afilter sheet material to form a single angle joint seam of a tubular structure with said joint, seam extendingthe length thereof, sealing one end of said structure to provide a bag with a tight bottom closure and an open end, filling said bag through the said open end with an essence containing a product, through- I slitting the angle joint seam along a mid-por- To form the top and bottom heat sealed joint closures I and I26 respectively, rollers D2 and D3 may be substituted for rollers D and DI respectively, these rollers D2 and D3 have two spaced blades or knives K2 and K3 mounted on roller D2 instead of a knife K as provided on-roller D. These knives K2 and K3 extend across the pressure surface portions S4 and S5, of rollers D2 and D3, respectively, the distance between the blades being made the width of the tag portion I24g. Knife KI serves the same function as knife K described above, that is for completely cutting I off' the finished leading infusion package I20.

While knife K2 only partially cross cuts through the material at I24h as shown in Figs. 11 and 12- to intersect with the upper end of the longitudinal through-slit I24d, the other end of the latter terminating short of the edge of top clossure I25 at theattachment I24e. Thus there is provided a construction of infusion package I20 which permits swinging the handle I24 terminated by integral tag portion I249 with relation to the package bag for suspending the package in brewing as shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

In Fig. 15 a fragmentary portion of an infusion I package 220 is shown in which the integral tag portion 224g is shaped, thatis, made in a desired configuration, as for example diamond-shaped cut by using two or more knives in place of knives K2 and K3 conforming with such desired shapes for cutting away portions as indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. 15.

. Tea-balls .20, I20, and 220 are each manufacv tured as described above in the embodiments of i the invention whether or not made with a tag integrally terminating the segment-handle as cut from the heat sealed joint seams forming the 'tubular structures of the package bags yet leaving the closures. of such cut joint seams intact. "It is therefore seenthat there is provided an improved method and article of manufacture in tion the length thereof short of complete'severance at said open end to provide an integral segment-handle while retaining the bottom closure and "angle joint seam intact, and sealing said open end to-form a tight top closure.

2. The method defined in claim 2 includin the step of folding the "angle joint seam against the tubular structure of the bag to form a lapped angle joint seam thereat leaving the out portions of said joint seam forming the segment-handle positioned for movement toward and away from said structure.

3. An' article of the character described comprising an infusion package having a flattenedtubular bag structure formed of a strip of filtering sheet material with a single "lapped angle joint seam extending centrally along the length of a 'flat side thereof and top and bottom closures,

a dissoluble' product enclosed in said bag structure, said seam joint having'a through-slit extending along a mid-portion thereof from the bottom closure short of complete severance at the top closure to provide an integral handle while retaining said top, bottom; and seam joint closures intact.

4. An infusion packageiof-the character described comprising a flattened tubular bag structure of filtering sheet material formed with a terminating said segment-handle while retaining thejbottomclosure intact.

6. An infusion package of scribed comprising a flattened tubular bag formed of filteringsheet material having top and bottom sealed closures andan angle joint seam extending lengthwise, the flat .side ofthe ba an essence containing product enclosed in said which'the several objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

. As various other possible embodiments of the invention may be made in the above invention and as various changes may'be made in the embodiments and method above set forth it is to be understood that all matters herein setforth and shown in the accompanyin drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limited a thereof.

bag, and an integrally formed segment-handle .split from a portion of said ansle'? joint seam connecting with said top closure positioned for movement toward and away from said bag side whileretaining said closures andjoint seam in- 7. An' infusion'packase as vdefinedin claimf6 1 which includes a tag formed from a severed portion of the bottom sealed closure to termnate the segment-handle as an integral part the character de- 

